Inbox: White Rap, City Salaries and 9/11

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What Year is this, Again?

OMG tell me this is a joke: A 2011 cover story [“Mack to the Future,” WW,
Sept. 7. 2011] about an emotional, white (shamelessly put to the
forefront by the author) rapper complete with a he-had-black-friends
photo (reinforced by the author!) & insightful critique from a
16-year old who whole-heartedly supports rhymes that deal with real
things!

—“curmudgeon”

Questioning The ‘Facts’ Of 9/11

Comparing 9/11 footage, even indirectly, to a porno [“Never Remember,” WW,
Sept. 7, 2011]? I think the author is the one who is out of touch as
more and more Americans from all backgrounds question the story behind
9/11 we were spoon-fed.

Hating on the style
is one thing, but where is the actual journalism into the facts? Anyone
who looks through facts must come to the same conclusion—that at the
very least, the Commission Report and National Institute of Standards
and Technology did not investigate thoroughly enough and there are more
questions than answers when looked through a more objective lens. If a
grass-roots film with low production value and rap music can get us
thinking more and demanding a better investigation, then what’s the
problem with that? Funny how we rely on these grass-roots movements for
valid information.

Remember—you cannot
deny that the majority of those involved in the so-called investigations
agree they are incomplete, faulty, and politically driven. As a New
Yorker and an American I think we all deserve a much better report than
what we have—and if you really support the troops who fight because of
what happened that day and the families devastated by the attack, then
you can’t really disagree, can you?

And
the characterization of CGI in the photo.... Too bad the author doesn’t
mention the footage’s purpose is not to make the viewer believe this is
REAL FOOTAGE—which the films do not venture to say. Yes, a decision is
left to the viewer, but it is clear that a dramatization is being done
in the film after a conclusion that the events could not (likely) have
happened the way they were described, and instead an alternative makes
much more sense—which the entire segment built up to using facts and
testimonial in which the viewer is left as the jury. Thanks for more
biased, deadline crunched opinion pieces...

—“Joe”

City Salaries: The Sticker Shock

When you have cops on the beat and
firemen making six-figure salaries [“Who Are The Highest-Paid City of
Portland Employees?” wweek.com, Sept. 8, 2011], it’s quite clear there
is a problem with fiscal responsibility. And there are close to 600 city
employees making over $100K? Did you say 600??? And a lot of them get
to retire making more money than what they are making now?? I can’t
fathom how these salaries are justified. I know...let’s grease some
employee-benefit consulting firm into convincing our city officials that
these pay levels are justified. And let’s not forget the county, state,
and federal positions, too. And people wonder why we have a problem?

—“rich”

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